Stars Falling from the Sky
by ju1i3Oh
Summary: A love story, the bittersweet kind. Au.


AU. A love story, the bittersweet kind.

Standard disclaimer.

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Stars Falling From the Sky

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Chapter 1: Bird of Paradise

_**I stumbled.**_

_**…**_

_**It was the beginning of everything. **_

_**...**_

"Ano..it should be around here somewhere…" she bit her lip unconsciously as she turned onto another long corridor. Her big doe eyes stared in awe at her surroundings, the building was colossal in size and styled in a modernized Japanese home with polished floors and impeccable interior designs even for the outer hallways.

Senbonzakura was a very popular tenement in Karakura…Orihime sighed; unfortunately her financial status was nowhere near stable to live in such a comfortable abode. Orihime quickly shook her head, auburn colored locks falling over her face. She fisted her hand, an optimistic smile gracing her delicate features even if her place was nowhere near Senbonzakura standards it was—home with her small bookshelf holding her most favorites of literature works to an encompassing amount of Sci-fi books that she so dutifully takes upon immersing herself completely with every chance she gets, to the delicious red bean paste (her mouth starts watering), last but not least her brother's small alter. Ah, right she has to pass by the shop for some flowers! And now that she thought about it her English paper needed some looking over!

"Ah!" her gray eyes glanced out towards the drizzling skies, sticking out a pale hand she watched as raindrops coated her limb.

Orihime's eyes lingered on the gray heavens a while longer before pulling back her hand and continuing on her trek. The petite red head made another turn unsure if she was heading towards the right direction, "Space cadet Hime will be landing shortly~!" she huffed out determinedly.

…

…

"Mou…" several minutes later Orihime was undoubtedly lost.

* * *

He hated the rain. Rainy days were his warnings to bad omens. Too many that had invaded his life so far.

Ichigo stared out towards the scenery presented as the elevator continued to the top floor. His mind was in utter chaos. The scene he had witnessed a few days ago while he was waiting for her in their usual spot he had found it odd for Rukia to be late. They had planned from the beginning, their secret meeting far away from her arranged marriage, from her older brother, from those who dared to interfere in their relationship—but yesterday he had seen her smiling shyly at her fiancé as she got dropped off, his teeth gritted, and the small chaste kiss she had placed upon the red head's lips before he drove off.

His veins were filled with pure unadulterated anger. Why the fuck had she smiled that way at that bastard? Weren't those smiles reserved for only him? And that fucking kiss?! He wanted to stalk over to where she stood and grasp her shoulders and shake her maybe even kiss her senseless because he missed her and she wasn't supposed to be kissing that fucking pineapple! But he couldn't go to her, couldn't embrace her because what they had was not allowed. She was the sibling to a multimillionaire big-shot that owned half of the businesses in Karakura and he was the son of a well-known Doctor going to school to follow in his father's footsteps while she to follow her elder brother's.

They had known each other for most of their lives, shared some laughs, tears, heartaches and had many firsts together. He remembered the first time they had confessed the summer before their senior year. He remembered the first time they held hands, their first kiss, the first time he had seen her naked and flushed against him with those hazy violet eyes of hers. Ichigo gripped the rail, fuck he was sounding like everything was going to end between them.

He didn't know what he would do if what they had suddenly ended. He had completely understood what their secret relationship entailed to, she would have to play along with what , Byakuya, her brother wanted and he had to find a girlfriend which wasn't that difficult to do, but Rukia had been hesitant about Senna. Rukia had warned him that the girl's father was in a bigger league than Byakuya, but he had just written off as jealousy. He didn't care about any of the consequences.

So that's why he was going to put an end to this charade once and for all. Ichigo was going to face Byakuya and make him understand that what Rukia and he had was something that couldn't be broken off that easily.

The familiar ding of the elevator signaled the end of his ascend to the top platform as the doors opened. He started down the hall shoulders squared, back straight as he made to turn on another corridor.

Ichigo caught a slight movement from the corner of his eye. His brown eyes narrowed into slits, as he sized up the suspicious fellow walking back and forth in place, he was shorter than most guys and seemed to be wearing a huge old overcoat with their hoodie pulled up. Was he a thief? There was no other possible explanation; the top floor was solely occupied by the Kuchiki since they owned Senbonzakura.

"…can do this!" Ichigo didn't think much of the difference in tone the guy's voice had, all that mattered was stopping the creeper from going anywhere near the Kuchiki residence.

Ichigo launched himself at the unsuspecting trespasser with incredible stealth, startling the unknown thief as their back slammed into hard wood. "Who the fuck-!" His amber eyes widened as he took in smooth pale skin, tightly closed eyes with incredibly long lashes, full pink lips, and now that the hood had fallen off a waterfall of auburn hair filled his vision.

He quickly released her chin and more than likely bruised wrist as if the contact burned him. He could she red markings start appearing along her jaw and chin "I…I'm…"

"No!" without warning she came at him blindly as she landed a powerful jab on his stomach and sent a side kick to his hunched form.

Ichigo doubled over.

A groan escaped his lips, but he had managed to keep his gaze on the young woman.

…

…

Orihime wanted to die.

She slowly, oh-so-slowly opened her eyes…today was supposed to be different, better than other days. The rain she didn't mind because when it rain it reminded her of a lot of things, she had left her small home with a big smile on her face determined to get hired as a nanny, a job that she had found on a bulletin board while walking to class. She made sure to leave a note for Tatsuki hanging on her front door, so she didn't have to worry about where she was.

_Tatsuki-chan should have come…_

She vehemently shook her head. No, Tatsuki-chan had taught her well. When she felt her captor tense, she had decided to take action.

Orihime warily settled her gaze on the young man sitting on the floor. And for a moment she forgot to breath. He was…beautiful. His intense chocolate gaze (had her involuntarily shivering and she had no clue as to why), to his define face structure, tense muscular biceps holding him up and his orange hair (she had a sudden urge to run her fingers through it) this stranger had her rooted to her spot suddenly wishing she were somewhere very far away.

Her trance broke once her gray eyes landed on his tan limb clutching his side and realization had fallen on her like a ton of bricks. Hesitantly she inched forward and crouched down to his eye level. Oh, she knew Tatsuki was going to scold her for letting her guard down, but she couldn't help it.

"Uhm…are you ok?"

Ichigo blinked rather baffled by the petite woman in front of him. Shouldn't he be the one asking that? An immense surge of guilt filled him as he noted the marks left by his fingers on her chin and he was pretty sure by the way she easily bruised that her wrist was in no better condition.

He slowly stood on wobbly feet and winced. She has a fucking powerful hit for a small woman! His dark eyes watched as she slowly rose, staggering as she straightened herself. "Your back must be bruised," he felt like a fucking asshole "here come in and I'll take a look at your wounds." He made to grab onto her uninjured hand and usher her inside when all of a sudden she lowered her head, long tendrils of auburn and orange hues filled his vision.

Ichigo scowled, didn't she know her back was bruised "What are you-"

"I apologize! I-I am deeply and truly s-sorry! I didn't know you lived here owner-sama…I hope you can give me another chance for the nanny position!"

_Nanny?_

Orihime was praying to every deity she had ever read about and hoped that the good-looking owner-sama (she failed at suppressing the unyielding blush) would take pity on her. She was feeling a strain in her back and trying her best not to look up until she was forgiven when a small click of an opening door and laughter suddenly filled the hallway.

There was a couple stepping out and Orihime found them to be very adorable. The small woman with short ebony locks framing her face was bursting into a fit of giggles as a much taller man with red hair and strange tattoos embraced her continuing his assault on her neck. But once the woman's violet eyes landed somewhere in front of her, did Orihime slowly lifted her head.

"…Ichigo."

And the atmosphere surrounding the long hallway suddenly felt very heavy.

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**A/N: So what do you guys think? I hope you guys liked it enough...but this is seriously the one that I've been dying to write. No more changes and stuff like that-I've made up my mind! Oh and Happy New Years many wonderful thoughts and wishes to all of you!**

_Side note: To all IchiHime supports out there...-insert tears-...I admit my heart was breaking when I wrote this!_

**Please share your love~**


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